Dawn Revisited
by PokeTail
Summary: After the Grand Magic Games, Fairy Tail celebrate their victory back in the original guild building. But one fairy isn't up for celebrations. Gray reflects on the previous events in Crocus. Questioning his right to live.


**Hey guys! This is my first fanfic so sorry if it's bad or if the characters are OOC. I've always loved the relationship that Natsu and Gray have. And considering that Gray is my favourite character, I thought my first fanfic should be about him. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Fairy Tail. It is owned by Manga genius, Hiro Mashima.**

* * *

Imagine you wake up

with a second chance: The blue jay

hawks his pretty wares

and the oak still stands, spreading

glorious shade. If you don't look back,

the future never happens.

How good to rise in sunlight,

in the prodigal smell of biscuits -

eggs and sausage on the grill.

The whole sky is yours

to write on, blown open

to a blank page. Come on,

shake a leg! You'll never know

who's down there frying those eggs,

if you don't get up and see.

\- Rita Dove

* * *

Those words kept ringing through his mind like an alarm clock. He didn't think that he would ever take those words so literal. The shirtless wizard lay on the roof of his guild hall watching the sun rise. His mind flashed back to the time these words were first recited to him.

* * *

He could still hear the screams of his pink haired rival as he unlocked he Second Origin. Smiling to himself, he walked down the beach to find his cloaked friend sat with her back against a rock, eyes pealed on a small piece of paper.

"Wha'cha readin?" He asked as the woman lifted her head.

"Gray," she proclaimed. "Nothing, just this poem I found in the library a few years ago."

"What's it about?" Gray continued to question. He thought that since she was his master's daughter, he should at least try to get along with the woman, for Ur's sake.

Ultear recited the poem to him and he listened inquisitively.

"I guess I can relate to the poem in a way. I've been given a second chance to make up for all of my sins by helping to defeat Zeref and help others who got lost in the darkness."

Gray smiled at her words, he opened his mouth to speak but was cut short by the woman next to him.

"When I saw Acnologia destroy Tenrou, I thought there was no way that you would all survive. I guess we all should've really expected this. Fairy Tail's not a guild to give up so easily."

Gray laughed as the woman continued.

"Ya know, I really want to meet Lyon. Maybe after the Games we could go and visit him?"

The two wizards continued their conversation until Ultear decided to help Gray unlock his Second Origin, much to his dismay.

* * *

A small tear rolled down Gray's face at the memory. His mind immediately turned to the vision him and his comrades had during the dragon fight. More tears flowed down his face.

_I shouldn't be here _he thought_. I shouldn't be alive. This isn't the first time the universe has tried to kill me. I must have done something terrible in a past life to deserve this._

Countless people have died protecting Fairy Tail's beloved ice wizard. It was only a matter of time before he was faced with yet another death from his loved ones. He couldn't take much more of this; he just wanted to give up on his pitiful life and kick the bucket. He didn't deserve the gift of life any longer.

Gray's train of thought was interrupted by the two people he wanted to see the least.

"GRAY!" The pink haired dragon slayer called.

"Gray, where are you?" His blue Exceed companion said, flying over the guild.

Gray hadn't noticed Happy had spotted him before he had time to wipe away the tears and put he 'cool-guy-act' back on.

"Gray, are you alright?" Happy asked, a hint of concern in his voice. "NATSU!"

The fire dragon slayer climbed his way up to Happy and his rival. By this time, Gray found it pointless to hide his tears now.

"Gray..." Natsu muttered when he saw the state of the ice wizard.

"What do you want fire freak?" Gray grunted, not moving from his original position.

"There's a job request that asks for us two. Gramps insists we go. He thinks it'll be good for us to spend some time together without the girls. He's probably drunk if you ask me."

Gray was silent.

"So... Are you gonna tell me what's wrong or are you gonna just lie here and cry like a little girl?"

It was at this moment Gray jumped up and punch Natsu in the left cheek, forcing his head to the side. "WOULD YOU FOR ONCE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?"

Natsu could feel his rage growing, but soon subsided when he realised that Gray was still crying.

"Ya know Gray," Happy began. "Usually in situations like this, the one thing you shouldn't do is be alone."

"He's right, Gray," Natsu replied.

And then Gray did something he never thought he'd do. He talked to Natsu. Told him everything. From the moment he met Ultear on Tenrou Island to the moment she sacrificed herself and saved his life. Natsu's face was full of complete shock, but it soon turned to anger and Gray received a punch to the shoulder. Gray did nothing, just looked at the roof he was sat on with his head in his hands.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us that you died?" His voice was shaky but filled with pure anger.

"'Cause it didn't actually happen," was all Gray could say, his voice just as shaky as Natsu's.

"That's not the point bastard!" Gray gave Natsu a look of surprise. "We're your friends, Gray. You're not supposed to hide stuff like this from us. What if you'd actually died?!" Natsu yelled to get his point across. Gray was thankful that this didn't draw the attention of the rest of the guild.

"What do you want me to say?!" Gray yelled just as loud as Natsu if not louder. "Too many people keep dying. First my parents, then Ur and now Ultear. I can't take this shit anymore!" His eyes were still tearing up from before.

Happy looked up at Natsu, waiting for him to say something to snap Gray out of it. Happy had never seen Gray so broken down before.

"Gray, I can't say I know what you're going through, but you've gotta keep living with the rest of us. Don't make Ultear turn in her grave. You've gotta keep living or their sacrifices will be for nothing. Now come on, a job will do you good."

Gray rubbed his eyes clean. "What's the job?"

Happy spoke up. "We have to kill some beast, it shouldn't take too long. The request specifically requested you two."

They left for the job and were silent all the way there. Gray was thinking what his friend had said the whole time. He knew that he would never fully get over the previous events, but he had his friends by his side to help him when he needed it. He doesn't want to make his loved ones' deaths in vain. A smile crept over his face which, in turn, made Natsu and Happy return the smile. Despite what people said, Natsu cared for Gray. He was like a brother to him. Whenever Gray would lose his way, Natsu will be by his side to literally knock some sense back into him, and Gray knew that too.

Little did Gray know that in a few short days, Gray's past would come back once again to haunt him.

* * *

**And thus my one-short comes to and end. Sorry if it was a little... short. I used the poem at the beginning because I had to analyse it for my English homework and as soon as I read it, I thought of Gray and Ultear, which then lead me to write this. Please review, I'd really appreciate it. I'm currently writing a longer fanfic (mainly about Gray with hints of Gruvia :p) so if you could tell me what I did well and what I did bad it would help me for future stories.**


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